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<blockquote data-quote="Campbell" data-source="post: 5958598" data-attributes="member: 16586">Choice reveals value.From where I stand its all about making choices matter. For every action there must be meaningful trade offs. 4e, more than any edition of D&amp;D encourages player agency because no resource in the game ever becomes trivial so players must engage each decision point with care.<ul>
<li data-xf-list-type="ul">In a skill challenge I have a limited number of actions in which to engage the situation. My checks become a precious commodity I must use with caution. </li>
<li data-xf-list-type="ul">Each limited use power I have access to can be used once and only once within its given refresh cycle. Thus when I choose to use it lets me say something about my character.</li>
<li data-xf-list-type="ul">I never receive so many limited use abilities that the use of one becomes trivial.</li>
<li data-xf-list-type="ul">HP and damage math is skewed so that for nontrivial encounters hit points matter within the encounter. I've never seen a fight in 4e where no one comes close to zero hit points!</li>
<li data-xf-list-type="ul">The implied fiction of the game makes meaningful statements about what it means to be a fighter, what it means to be a dragonborn, etc. Casual use of nonhumans is not seen in most 4e material. This is important to me.</li>
</ul>Now I realize that the way I use 4e might not be the intent of the designers of the game, but I'm not really all that concerned with design intent. I'm concerned with the utility it provides me with. Frankly I'm pretty discouraged by the move back towards a game that trivializes individual choices.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Campbell, post: 5958598, member: 16586"] Choice reveals value. From where I stand its all about making choices matter. For every action there must be meaningful trade offs. 4e, more than any edition of D&D encourages player agency because no resource in the game ever becomes trivial so players must engage each decision point with care. [LIST] [*]In a skill challenge I have a limited number of actions in which to engage the situation. My checks become a precious commodity I must use with caution. [*]Each limited use power I have access to can be used once and only once within its given refresh cycle. Thus when I choose to use it lets me say something about my character. [*]I never receive so many limited use abilities that the use of one becomes trivial. [*]HP and damage math is skewed so that for nontrivial encounters hit points matter within the encounter. I've never seen a fight in 4e where no one comes close to zero hit points! [*]The implied fiction of the game makes meaningful statements about what it means to be a fighter, what it means to be a dragonborn, etc. Casual use of nonhumans is not seen in most 4e material. This is important to me. [/LIST] Now I realize that the way I use 4e might not be the intent of the designers of the game, but I'm not really all that concerned with design intent. I'm concerned with the utility it provides me with. Frankly I'm pretty discouraged by the move back towards a game that trivializes individual choices. [/QUOTE]

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